If it Rained for 80 Days
by Colors del Cielo
Summary: Rain holds so many meanings. Refreshing and cool, it washes away your worries. Hard and relentless, it smothers all sound. Preceded by a sharp, brisk scent and darkening sky...it is the water to wipe the slate clean-a walk through Yamamoto Takeshi's life


Happy belated birthday, Mocchan!

I (Ryu) sat down and brainstormed a list of 80 "prompt" words in order to write this story—I hope you enjoy a taste of my head-canon. ;D

I also would like to say that if you would like to take an idea from any of my prompts, just let me know in a PM or review. Thanks.

**Disclaimer: Katekyo Hitman Reborn! and all associated characters (c) Amano Akira**

Rain

_Rain holds so many meanings. Refreshing and cool, it washes away your worries. Hard and relentless, it smothers all sound. Preceded by a sharp, brisk scent and darkening sky...it is the water to wipe the slate clean._

Japan

_Home is where the heart is. Haha, if that's true, then is your heart where your home is, too?_

Smile

"_Why are you always smiling so much?" Gokudera growled. He made a move and I had to block his punch to my gut.  
_"_Well, why are you always so violent, Gokudera?" I laughed. His fist disappeared as soon as Tsuna turned to look at us.  
He gave both of us an exasperated look. "Yamamoto, we have to pay attention to the lesson if we want to pass math..."  
_"_Juudaime! I can teach you this material later! You won't fail this class—I swear upon my title as your right-hand man!"  
I grinned. "Tsuna hasn't recognized you oficially yet." I settled into the best competitive pose I could manage while sitting at my desk. "I'm still in the running!"  
_"_Wipe that smirk off your face!" Gokudera said. "You're too stupid to be anything but a left-hand man."_

"_Awww, thanks, Gokudera!" A smile broke my face again._

Baseball

_Gyuut-gyuut...  
Swish!  
Ba-ba-ban!  
HOMERUN!  
and the crowd goes wild (Tsuna's cheering, Gokudera's scoffing, Ryohei 's yelling, Mukuro...is doing something, Chrome's just sitting there, Hibari is still looking sullen, Lambo's not paying attention...)._

_I glance at my old man when I touch home base and he gives me a thumbs-up._

Friends

_Once, I knew I was willing to give up my life for baseball. Tsuna taught me how wrong I was. Now, I know that I need to live for my friends. _

Blood

_The first time I killed someone, I cried.  
The second time, I went drinking with Dino and Gokudera.  
The third time, I had nightmares filled with screaming and gunshots.  
The fourth time, I saved Tsuna's life.  
The fifth time, I avenged my father's sacrifice.  
The sixth time, I wiped my katana clean and moved further into the base.  
The seventh time, I wrenched information about a rising Famiglia from our enemies.  
The eighth time, I was too late.  
The ninth time, I slashed and slashed with tears blurring my vision.  
The tenth time, I was rushing through the forest towards a signal—two signals...  
_..  
.

Tuna

_Tuna is my favorite food. I've recently noticed that 'Tsuna' sounds a lot like 'tuna'...  
Hehe! I like them both!_

Myself

_Gokudera says that I can't kill.  
He doesn't understand  
that I had once tried to kill..._

Father

_If I were asked to describe my dad with one word, I'd say dictionary. You'd need all the words in the world to describe the amazingness of my father.  
Minus all the bad words._

School

_My head hit the table. "I can't get thisss..." I whined into the tabletop._

_Gokudera swatted my head with the booklet he was reading from. "You're not even trying, you baseball idiot!" He gestured at the problem left unsolved on my paper. "Look, you didn't even write anything, did you?"_

_Tsuna looked nervously caught between amused and worried. "Yamamoto, I thought you needed a LOT of help in this class? If you want, I can try explaining how I got the answer...though I'm not...completely sure...if this works?"_

"_It's fine, Juudaime! This method is completely acceptable, even in Matsunagi-sensei's class." Gokudera had turned away from my brooding form to reassure our boss. _

_I just wished we didn't have to worry about school. I rolled my head to the side and stared out my window. Man, how I wished I could be batting some balls instead of studying for school exams._

Flame

_My resolution...?  
My resolution is...  
_

_The past. The present. The future._

Milk

_...It's cow excrement?_

Game

_It's funny to see Gokudera overreact every time I say 'mafia game'. He thinks that I don't take it seriously enough, but I always disagree with him._

_If there's anything in the world I take seriously, it's games.  
There's a starting point, with an objective that has to be defined and set. Then, you choose your arsenal of players, specifically suited to fulfill the objective. Work out a plan, striving to execute it when the inning begins. There is no losing—just surviving._

_At the end, you're dead tired. Have you won? Have you lost? Was there a tie? This is the only point where white, black, and gray seem clearly divided.  
You gather your results, tally it into your ongoing record, and keep going. _

_Mafia is a game of life and death._

Katana

_Almost as natural as a baseball bat in my hand, I love swinging my Shigure Kintoki. I love the way it cuts through the air with a satisfying SWISH. I love its gracefully curved contoured grip. Yes, in almost every way, it is like my beloved baseball bat.  
I just don't like hitting -things- with it._

Hospital

_The sterilized smell always reminds me of that summer way back when I last held her hand. _

Food

"_Is ramen and sushi the only things you can cook, Yamamoto?"_

_I scratched the back of my head. "Yup!"_

_Gokudera gave me his best what-is-this-idiot-doing-now stare before shoving me away from the stove (and my ramen)._

"_Let me try."_

_...We ended up calling I-pin to deliver some soba.  
...We had to explain to Tsuna why five rooms in the Vongola headquarters were now sooty and smelling like burning cigarettes and ramen. I just pointed at Gokudera. _

Yamamocchan

"_...Can I call you Gokyundera?"  
_"_HELL NO."_

Bazooka

_In a cloud of bubblegum-pink smoke, the almost-impossible can happen. We've all been used to breaking time-space continuums since we were 14 years old.  
But wait... I came face-to-face with a cute little toddler with black hair and light brown eyes. He was dressed in a baseball jersey and gazing up at us with a befuddled expression._

"_ME?"_

_Tsuna slapped his forehead, pivoted on his heel, and exited the office. We all heard him yell down the hallway: "GIANNINI-SAN! WE HAVE A PROBLEM!"_

_And five minutes later, we still had a problem. Tsuna was patiently trying to get the younger me out from the closet where he'd fled after Ryohei had stampeded into the room while praising SAWADA-SAN FOR HIS EXTREME YELLING BEFORE.  
However, I wasn't there to see it because Gokudera had dragged me out of the room seconds after my younger self's appearance. He insisted that it would be bad for our two existences to be in the same universe, much less the same room. _

_I guess I agreed, but I still regretted not being able to have a little chat with myself before Giannini managed to send him back the next day._

_Oh, well._

Summer

_Minna Suki Daze!_

Question

"_Yamamoto, do u liek mudkipz?"  
_"_Huh, what are those? I guess not..."_

Dog

_I always wanted a dog.  
Seeing Jirou popping out of my Vongola box made me so happy! I almost turned around to try to convince my old man to let me keep him—just like I'd done every time I passed by a pet store window._

_But I'd forgotten._

_This world is different._

Undefeated

_Some people are under the illusion that I can't ever be defeated in baseball, but that's so ridiculous. Though it does boost my self-confidence.  
There's nothing that can go completely undefeated because the law of the universe says that there must be **something** out there that can kick your butt to the next moon._

Oops

"_TAKESHI. DID YOU TOUCH MY SHAMPOO BOTTLE?"_

"_Yeah. You told me to refill it yesterday."_

"_You put the WRONG stuff inside!"_

_Dad slammed the door of our bathroom open and stood there with his face looking grim and his hair looking white._

_Oops._

Stars

_When I count the stars, I always remember their names. One by one, I do my star roll call, checking to see that they're all where they're supposed to be._

_I've started naming them after people I know: Tsunayoshi, Hayato, Ryohei, Kyoya, Squalo, Dino— It feels strange calling those names when I hardly use them in my day-to-day life. But these stars seem to represent our ragtag group pretty well. We orbit around our center star, following the same path every day, but we still manage to change from season to season, bit by bit. Sometimes, we disappear behind the horizon, still there, yet unseen. Our brightness is exaggerated during the night—by the darkness—that surrounds us, but we don't give in. We may flicker once in a while, but are determined to keep fighting. If we are to fall, we do so brilliantly, with as much flare and bang as we can manage to make sure we aren't forgotten. _

_Stars aren't eternal, but I'm okay with that. I just keep naming and counting, always remembering._

Fireworks

_Exploding in the sky over the streets of Namimori, multicolored sticks of TNT painted brilliant patterns in the sky to the wonder and amazement of children and adults alike.  
Now, Gokudera, why can't you make people smile like that with your fireworks, huh?  
_"_They're called DYNAMITE, dammit!"_

Sleeping

_I really need to finish...my...homeee...  
Zzzz..._

Beach

_Ah, the sun is bright overhead, the air is salty-sweet, and the wind is crisp!  
What a great day to go to the beach. I'm looking forward to some watermelon smashing followed by a quick dip in the sea, then arcades on the boardwalk.  
I wonder if Tsuna forgot his wallet again?  
I hope giant monsters don't come out of the surf again.  
Hm? Oh, this? Can we keep pet jellyfish?  
Haha! My old man will be surprised that I was able to catch a tuna on the beach~  
Is that Squalo?  
Extreme sandcastle building!  
And watching the extremely high tide wash away our efforts.  
Is it time to go already?  
Wait a minute, need to buy a souvenir.  
Okay, let's go!  
I hope we can do this again. See you guys!_

Takesushi

_My dad still loves whenever I bring friends over. _

_He just doesn't want them working in the kitchen.  
Or even busing the tables. Especially a certain silver-haired friend of mine._

Blue

_Blue is the color of rain and the ocean. Of the sky and the stars. Of swallows and butterflies. Of calm and sadness. Of 450 to 490 nanometer wavelengths. Of the fifth (and sixth?) colors in a rainbow. Of boys under the age of adolescence. Of a boy by the name of Yamamoto Takeshi. Of the Rain Guardian of the Vongola Tenth boss. Of the flame that washes away everything._

_Of the color that permeates my waking dreams, my nightmares, my hopes._

Karaoke

_Yamamoto, have you been taking singing lessons?_

_Nope, just practicing in the shower._

_Hmph. I hate to admit it, but you've definitely improved. Though it's not hard to improve on sounding like a wailing dog._

_I'll take that as a compliment._

_Yeah, yeah. But you still don't sound as awesome as Juudaime! Juudaime, you should sing next—show that jerk what singing really is!_

_W-what? Gokudera-kun, I don't think I should!_

_Don't worry about it, Tsuna! Do you want me or Gokudera to sing with you?_

_I'll go, baseball idiot!_

Teenager

_The best times and the worst times. Experiencing both sides of the spectrum is what being a teenager is all about. _

Workout

_The kid told me that if we ran past Tsuna, I had to make it look like I was having fun even though I had been supposedly running a while.  
I only found out later that the kid had dropped a fake workout schedule by Tsuna with some ridiculous figures on it—all to spur Tsuna's own workout regime! How clever~_

_But really? I felt like I could die of laughter when I read what was on that list!_

Sunglasses

_Dear Yamamoto-san,_

_Do you remember that during Ryohei's Varia battle over the Sun ring, you wore those really cool sunglasses?  
Yeah, and do you realize that you could probably sell those glasses for hundreds of dollars on Ebay to any one of your thousands of fans?_

_Just letting you know,  
An entrepreneuring fan_

Rooftop

_I remember feeling my stomach flop and my blood freeze cold with fear. I remember the wind whistling past my tanned ears and my one free arm flailing for something—anything—to grab onto. I remember Tsuna's firm grip as he caught my arm and his cool eyes washing calm and trust over me._

_But this frightening time has been overwhelmed by the many happy memories we've made on that same roof. The hundreds of lunches we ate, the frequent arguments we had. The shared jokes and smile, and, most of all, the moments in which we strengthened our bonds with each other._

Boxers

_One thing to never bring up with Tsuna: just how many different boxers do you have?_

Sin

_As the pool of red spread around me, I held many regrets. One, that I'd never made it to the pro nationals in baseball. Two, that I hadn't told my dad that I loved him today. Three, that I'd never hold up my promise for a duel with Gokudera. Four, that I could only leave a few fragmented clues for my friends to see traced in my own blood upon the floor. Fifth and last, that I felt as if I had failed to uphold my side of the deal I'd struck with Tsuna._

_Sorry...  
and goodbye._

Senpai

"_YOU EXTREMELY CALLED FOR ME?"_

"_What? Ummm, no. Where did you even come from? Haha..." I shook up head in disbelief. "I was just calling to my baseball-senpai over there."_

"_Oh. You should just forget about the baseball team and join the boxing club!"_

_I smiled apologetically. "Sorry, senpai. I think I'll stick with baseball for a while more."_

Cry

_There are only three time in my life when I've seriously cried._

_When my mother died.  
When I broke my arm.  
When Tsuna died._

_But I'm about to make it four times._

_My eyes are already welling up, but the forest has only just come into my vision. The rest of the Guardians are following me closely, all shouting for the one person who had connected all of our lives.  
Tsuna._

Namimori

_For such an 'average' town, we've got the most not-average people living here._

Clams

_Who in their right mind would name an Italian mafia after a shellfish? That's so silly. That's like naming a baseball team after jellyfish._

_~a certain blonde-haired Italian's spirit rolls over in a certain ring it happens to be inhabiting~_

Famiglia

_Famiglia – the limited group of people with whom you'd share all your life with  
Famiglia – those names that quickly fill up your cell phone's 'Recent Calls' list  
Famiglia – we sometimes argue and split up, but always end up walking the same path  
Famiglia – the people who come running when you call for help_

_Why do we feel lonely for no reason?  
It's because of you and our shared bond that I know I'm not alone_

_Mother, Father, Brother, Sister, and all my friends—thank you for your love!  
Even though I act petty and cowardly, you still love me so much  
Mother, Father, Brother, Sister, and all my friends—I love you so much!  
All of your warm voices continue to push me and support me onwards_

_Famiglia – the people who laugh at pointless jokes  
Famiglia – the people who laugh just to show that they're happy  
Famiglia – if at all possible, I wish they could live a longer life than I  
Famiglia – there will always be some who die before me_

_I wonder why I can't be honest about anything  
I know that no words nor gestures can express what I mean_

"_I love you!" or "Thank you!"— I still have to say these things  
But I can't say them yet; instead, I have a song I hope reaches you  
I can't look away or let go  
But above all, I want to become stronger  
To tie our bonds more firmly than ever before_

_Mother, Father, Brother, Sister, and all my friends—thank you for your love!  
Even though I act petty and cowardly, you still love me so much  
Mother, Father, Brother, Sister, and all my friends—I love you so much!  
All of your warm voices continue to push me and support me onwards_

_Mother, Father, Brother, Sister, and all my friends—thank you for your love!  
Anytime or anywhere, you'll be by my side, believing in me  
Mother, Father, Brother, Sister, and all my friends—I love you so much!  
Your warm words will forever echo within my heart_

_For meeting me...  
Thank you!_

Light

_Everything is made by contrasts between light and dark. Like yin-yang. To me, Tsuna is a pure light while other bosses, heads of cruel mafia families are dark. Then there's us: the ones stuck bouncing back and forth between the two sides of the scale in order to keep the balance. _

Sweat

_After a while, I can't tell exactly if that's dirt or sweat or blood or tears tracking down my cheeks. And at the end of the day, they're all the same, joining a clear stream of cleansing water down my shower drain._

Life

_Life is good.  
Living is better._

Surprise

_Gokudera...I didn't know you were into that.  
D-don't misunderstand, baseball idiot! I do this as a hobby—a hobby ONLY.  
Anyway, what is it?  
It's...  
I didn't quite hear that._  
_I said, I was making a scarf for Juudaime. Idiot._  
_Oh. Is it a complicated pattern? The material's curving very interestingly here..._  
_NO, it's not suppose— Hey, wait! Stop criticizing my work! I'd like to see you try._  
_I can knit already. My father made me learn that and sewing when I was really young. I can give you a few tips about when you start a new row, Gokudera... I think you need it._  
_Sh...Shut up!_

Baby

_...Yes, it's true. Even after hearing the kid's explanation of what happened to him (a story few others have heard), I still have no clue what he looks like. At least I didn't imagine him to look like whatever Tsuna thought he looked like._

Sushi

_I wouldn't ever tell my old man (because he'd be horrified—he might even disown me), but I think that sushi is starting to become clichéd. Granted, it still tastes great, but the son of a sushi chef does like to enjoy something different more than once in a while._

_Having sushi for dinner 5 days a week is a bit much.  
And the stray cats around our house are getting fat._

Flower

_My personality: Freesia  
My smile: Anemone  
My mother: Aster tataricus  
My father: Edelweiss  
My boss: Jasmine  
The past: Red Spider Lilies  
The present: Morning Glory  
The future: Chrysanthemum_

Headquarters

"_I think you're going to regret putting all of us within one mile of each other."  
_"_...I think you're right, Yamamoto."_

Wristband

_A terrycloth for every occasion!_

Shrine

_My dad and I visit at least twice a year—on her birthday and the day of her passing._

Numbers

_I interrupted our quiet, relaxing evening with a question. "What are our names doing on a website...?"_

_Gokudera's head snapped up. "No! Don't loo—"_

"_Ah, wow! You can choose me and Gokudera in the search... What's this 8059 in all the summaries?"_

_Tsuna looked interested. "Gokudera-kun, do you know what Yamamoto's talking about? We have a website?"_

"_Oh! And if you choose Gokudera and Tsuna, 5927 pops up a lot, too!"_

_Gokudera's head hit the table. I could swear he was blushing. "Yakyuu-baka, you don't wanna know..."_

_Tsuna's face scrunched up. "What do you mean, Gokudera-kun? I would like to know what those numbers mean if it's about us."_

"_But..." Gokudera spluttered. "I— You—" He sighed. "Juudaime really wants to know?"_

_His face steadied, gaining the authority of the Vongola Tenth. "If it involves the famiglia, then of course I do."_

_Gokudera sighed. He got out a piece of paper and wrote:_

_27 Sawada **Tsuna**yoshi_

_59 **Goku**dera Hayato_

_80 **Yama**moto Takeshi_

_He gave us the paper and explained more, "And other people like Senpai and Hibari are 33 and 18."_

"_But what does it mean when two numbers are combined?"_

"_It means..." Gokudera hesitated, "that the two people...are together. Uh, not platonically."_

"_Oh."_

"_WAIT. HUH?"_

Rival

_It has to be an inherent quality of a sports player to be competitive. We need our motivation to win, a motivation to fight with 110% effort.  
I can't explain the rush I get when I see the face of my opponent as I pose victoriously, or the satisfaction I experience when I'm so tired I can't move, soaked with sweat, and bruised all over after a good game._

Italy

_Thanks for letting me go to Italy with Dino-san, Gokudera.  
You were right—the pasta there is delicious. I still prefer my purple spaghetti, though._

Bullet

_One afternoon, the kid came into Tsuna's room and announced that he had a new bullet to test._

_He pulled out his gun and aimed at Tsuna, but my friend was too fast for the little guy. Unfortunately, I had expected Tsuna's head to be the only thing between me and the barrel of the kid's gun. My mind barely registered my thought of "Uh oh" when I heard a bang and everything went blank._

_I woke up, noticing that it was dark. Probably evening already?_

_I sat up and glanced around. Tsuna was staring at me, wide-eyed, from behind Gokudera, who was blocking Tsuna's body protectively with his own, in the corner of the room. But the kid was standing at my feet. The room was a mess, and the glass in the window was broken. The door was slightly ajar and had rather large dents on the inside._

"_Good job," the baby said, patting my leg. "You've got promise."_

_No one will tell me what happened that day. Maybe it's better that I don't know...?_

Tutor

_I don't know whether to be happy or concerned for Tsuna to have a tutor like Reborn. Besides the fact that he's obviously a child, I've seen that baby display some...interesting characteristics. Ones that would never be encouraged in teachers at school—or anywhere for that matter._

_Then again, the kid apparently is a professor in math as well as a passed-as-proficient tutor in Italy. I wonder if Italian requirements for tutors are different than Japan's._

Lie

_Everyone hates lying, but sometimes it's necessary._

Cat

_There are several stray cats that live around this neighborhood. I always try to treat them nicely and feed them sushi when we have leftovers, but they always act so aloof. There's this one silver cat that I think I have good relations with now, though. He lets me talk to him, feed him, and has even taken shelter from the rain once or twice at my house. However, if I make even the smallest of what he deems 'threatening moves' towards him, he scratches and bites viciously, then flees._

_He also seems to like Tsuna infinite more times than me. That kind of makes me sad. _

Orange

_Contrary to what the rest of the Guardians thought, my favorite color was not blue, but orange.  
Orange was my mother's favorite color, too._

_When I first saw Tsuna's flame as I was falling several stories to my doom, it felt the same as my mother's warm smile—I knew I was saved._

Sakura

_I didn't know that someone could be allergic to sakura in Japan. That's like...  
being allergic to pasta in Italy!  
or salt in America!  
or pandas in China!_

Funeral

_We all seemed to be staring at that golden X on the coffin as if it was supposed to tell us something. Rather, we'd prefer that it not be telling us anything at all, much less that the great Vongola Tenth boss was lying still within the black case. That our mutual best friend was lying dead inside that coffin. We were sad and silent—more so than words could express._

_It was a surreal experience in that clearing. I felt as if I were in a everlasting nightmare, like the ones I used to have, filled with blood and black and screaming and crying._

_But none of us could cry. Our tears seemed to be frozen behind our eyes in horror. Even our tears were afraid of seeing the young man laying amongst the white lilies._

_But we all saw._

_And we all swore to never forget._

Teamwork

_The Vongola Famiglia could absolutely be the greatest baseball team in the history of baseball teams._

_Tsuna would be the main pitcher and batter, ready to lead the way.  
Gokudera and I could be the support batters, gaining early runs.  
Hibari-san could be put anywhere and we could depend on him to carry through.  
Lambo and Chrome would be in outfield where I'm sure Lambo's energy and Chrome's agility would be assets.  
Mukuro would be on a base because his unwillingness to lose would surely push him to prevent anyone from crossing his plate.  
Ryohei could be the extreme shortstop with his quick reflexes and impressive athleticism.  
As for the last position...the kid Reborn would be perfect. He is the cement to keep this team at their current level, and the one that brought us together in the first place._

Popular

_If there was one thing that Gokudera and I agree with all the time, it is that Tsuna isn't nearly as popular as he should be._

_We're both wildly popular with the girls for some reason I can't understand, but Tsuna is the boy with the heart of gold and the chivalry of any noble gentleman. He comprehends people's hidden feelings better than those people can themselves. And, technically, he's the boss of his very own mafia famiglia! Girls should be chasing after him, not us. Not a 'baseball idiot' like me or a bomber delinquent like Gokudera._

Festival

_Festivals are always exploding with color, sounds, smells. I remember the first festival I went to with my parents when I was very, very young._

_I was too small for me to recall everything now, but I can clearly remember the two hands I held in mine. In my left, the strong, large hand of my father. In my right, the frail but elegant hand of my mother._

_And I remember the fireworks that spattered the sky above Namimori. Blue, red, orange, yellow, purple, green—every color you could imagine sparkled and flashed overhead. In childish fascination, I had told my parents that I would be a firework one day._

_I'm not quite there, but...is this good enough?_

Eyes

"_Yamamoto...you EXTREMELY don't have PUPILS!" Ryohei shouted. Right in my face._

_Tsuna peered into my face as well. "Huh, onii-san is right. All I see are your irises." He backed up a little to give me my breathing space back. "They're a nice chocolate-brown color, Yamamoto."_

_Off to the side, Gokudera perked up. "Juudaime, what about my eyes?"_

_Giving him a very Tsuna-typical smile, Tsuna replied, "They're very nice too, Gokudera-kun. Both green and gray..."_

Mafia

_I doubt very many people, especially teenagers, have ever dreamed of becoming a Mafioso. Even less have actually become a Mafioso.  
It makes me feel special. _

Grades

_We have a policy at school that if you get below 70% in any class, you fail that class. That's pretty scary stuff. I barely held on to one or two of my classes last year, but I've been doing better. Gokudera tutors Tsuna and I on mathematics and English, which really helps._

Sleepover

"_Tsuna, can't sleep?"_

"_No." I saw Tsuna shifting around on his futon in the dim lighting of the room. _

"_Haha, this is kind of like a sleepover. Want me to put on a movie?" I asked._

_Tsuna shook his head decisively. "Gokudera's asleep. You don't want to wake him, do you?"_

_I tried pushing Gokudera's foot off my stomach. I think he put it there on purpose._

_Tsuna chuckled when he saw what I was doing._

"_It's almost like it's Gokudera's instinct to try to make your life harder, right, Yamamoto?"_

_I chuckled along. "Yeah, it sure does seem that way." _

Façade

_The greatest offense is a perfect defense. _

Prefect

_Hibari is scary when annoyed. Note to self: Do not insult birds, especially yellow ones, even in joking. Do not arrive at school without a tie done properly (I have to ask Gokudera about that...). Do not fight on school (you are part of the fight even if you are merely the victim). Do not, under any circumstances, mention Kokuyo, pineapples, or sakura._

Lunch

_I don't actually get free sushi from my old man.  
He also does not pack or cook my lunches for me.  
Fortunately, I love packing my own lunch. It gives me a sense of responsibility over myself.  
I also love it when my friends (mostly Tsuna, not Gokudera) ask to taste my lunch because it looks delicious, then compliment it._

_That makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Maybe I could go into culinary arts, too?_

Obstacle

_Before you can run, jump.  
Before you can jump, walk.  
Before you can walk, crawl.  
Before you can crawl, sit._

_Obstacles are there for you to realize how far you've come._

Bandage

_Someone in school today told me that I looked hotter when I had bandages all over my face.  
Ehhh... Thanks, but no thanks?_

_I tried to leave that person as soon as possible. She had a weird glint in her eyes._

Professional

_To be or not to be..._

_A professional baseball player?  
A professional hitman?_

_Maa, this is why I don't like making hard decisions._

Sky

_I love Kojirou.  
I love how that swallow is able to fly so gracefully.  
I love how he symbolizes my love of the sky and freedom._

Love

_Roses are red,_

_Violets are blue—_

_The one that I wed,_

_Could it be you?_

Dream

_Year after year, my dream had been to become a professional baseball player and to win the Major League. After meeting Tsuna, Gokudera, the kid, Senpai—and everyone else—that dream has changed drastically._

_Many would say that my dream...has shrunk. No longer am I aiming for public recognition and fame; I prefer espionage and small moments shared with friends. _

_My dream has evolved ever since I made the choice to be a hitman over a ball player._

_My dream is to protect my Famiglia. No matter what._

Laugh

_I've got a laugh for every day of the year._

_For happy times, it's loud and swoops up.  
For sad times, it's subdued and reluctant.  
For all the times between, it slips in, short and quick, hardly noticeable._

_Laughter is another language. I'd like to say I'm fluent in it._

Future

_When we look back, will we miss those halcyon days?_

Birthday

_It was the 24th of April._

_I woke up feeling like it was any day but my birthday. Stretching, I gathered my schoolbooks together and shoved them into my bag. I threw on the Namimori Middle uniform and shuffled into the kitchen for a quick breakfast._

_My old man wasn't in the shop or our living area, so I assumed he was on an early morning errand—probably restocking or something.  
I shrugged and headed out the door._

* * *

_I walked towards Tsuna's house to pick him up, but when I got there, I was greeted by Mrs. Sawada instead of Vongola's Tenth boss. She smiled in that nice way she always does and told me that Tsuna and Gokudera had started off without me. I was a bit puzzled, but I laughed it away and waved her 'Good morning'._

_I arrived late to school because I helped an old lady across the street, and she had insisted that I wait until she fetched a reward for me from her house—a hot pork bun. I was gracious, but feared for my life if I was caught by Hibari at school._

_But, strangely, there was no one in sight when I rushed across the school grounds. I made my way to my homeroom and strode in, all smiles and laughter._

_Tsuna shot a tentative smile at me from across the room, but he looked a little pale. He mouthed, 'I'm sorry', but I didn't know what for. For leaving his house without me? I mouthed back, 'It's fine, Tsuna'. Gokudera had glanced at me when I had first walked in, but now he was pointedly ignoring me. _

_Class was boring as usual. I didn't find many chances to talk to my two best friends during the lessons, but I was hopeful that I could ask them about that morning while we were eating lunch._

_Noon rolled around and got up from my seat, making a beeline for Tsuna's desk. When I tapped him on his shoulder, he jumped a little with a 'Hiee!', but quickly turned around to greet me. Then quickly apologizing. He spluttered that he had business to take care of elsewhere and zipped out the door. I blinked, not knowing how to feel, and turned to Gokudera's desk. But he was already gone._

_I ate lunch alone._

* * *

_The rest of the day was spent pretty much the same as the morning. I don't believe I saw Tsuna or Gokudera at all after lunch. While this wasn't strange for Gokudera, it sure was for Tsuna. I was concerned: had I done something wrong?_

_They both showed up once school was over, but we had to split up like we normally do. I went to my baseball practice, tossing a 'See you later' over my shoulder while Gokudera hmphed and Tsuna mentioned going to his house to study. As usual, they stayed a few minutes anyway, watching the practice, before heading either to the park or to Tsuna's house. _

_This confused me even more. How come they were acting so oddly before, but went straight back to the normal routine once school ended? Or were they?_

_I sent another baseball flying into the sky, squinting to see it soar away against the bright sky._

* * *

_Since it was a special day, I was thinking of visiting the shrine today, but I was torn between going there or going straight to Tsuna's house where Gokudera, Tsuna, and—hopefully—answers were. _

* * *

_I left the shrine feeling lighter. I whistled a nameless, tuneless song as I circled the park. I heard children laughing from behind the slide, and I could have sworn that their voices sounded familiar. I was worried when I didn't see any adults supervising the children, so I headed over to the slide. When I looked around the playground, however, I didn't see any little kids. 'Huh,' I thought. 'How weird.' _

_I walked off the playground turf, heading once more for Tsuna's house, but was stopped by a delicious aroma of tuna. It smelled just like my old man's best tuna, so I turned towards the smell, half-expecting him to be standing there or something. What greeted my eyes was the small cake shop that the girls liked visiting. I sighed. The yummy scent of tuna had worked up my appetite (along with my baseball practice). One cake, especially for today, wouldn't hurt, would it?_

_I entered the shop, the little jingle bell above the door announcing my arrival. Approaching the counter, I glanced over the assorted cakes. Chocolate...strawberry...vanilla... 'I'll have a blueberry swirl, please.'_

'_Right away, sir.'_

_...'Thanks.'_

_I sat by the window so I could see the park. I was still wondering about those kids I heard..._

_Jingle. 'Oh, look! It's Yamamoto-san!'_

_I swiveled my head to peer behind me. Sasagawa-chan, Miura-chan, and Bianchi-san stood by the door, smiling at me. I smiled and waved them over. Sasagawa-chan and Miura-chan ordered strawberry cakes and sat down on the other side of my table. Bianchi-san took the seat next to mine._

_The girls across from me immediately launched into a tale about how they had seen an exotic man in black running around in circles screaming something about filet mignon outside Miura-chan's house that morning._

_I listened intently, thinking I recognized this person, when I caught a tawny flash outside the cake shop window. 'Yamamoto-san, is something wrong?'_

'_Nah, thought I saw a stray cat.' Miura-chan and Sasagawa-chan giggled at that, commenting on how cute that cat must have been._

'_So, Yamamoto-san. What are you doing eating cake alone? Is today...a special occasion?'_

_I laughed. 'How'd you know? It's my birthday, actually.' Oddly, they didn't look surprised, but Bianchi-san commented, 'Really? Too bad we couldn't get you something.'_

'_Yeah,' Sasagawa-chan echoed._

_Miura-chan chimed in, 'Anyway, it was nice chatting with you, Yamamoto-san!' We all got up from the table. I threw some tip change by my plate. 'I hope you enjoy the rest of your birthday!'_

'_Thanks.'_

* * *

_It had drizzled a little while I was eating my blueberry cake, but the sun was extremely bright that afternoon. The water was already drying into a misty haze over the playground and blacktop streets. _

_I took small strides towards Tsuna's house, wanting to enjoy the gorgeous spring day. 'Maybe I can get us all to go flower gazing again this year?'_

_But there was still that weird thing going on with Gokudera and Tsuna._

_I changed my course from Tsuna's house to my house. I could get them some of our specialty Takesushi to make up for whatever I did._

_As I rounded the corner onto my street, something round and yellow shot of a nearby bush, startling me, and flitted off to somewhere I couldn't follow with my eyes. _

'_Hi—?' No, it couldn't have been. I laughed quietly to myself and walked up to the Takesushi store front. _

_I opened the door, and..._

* * *

'_SURPRISEEE!' _

_Everyone burst from their hiding spots around my house. Lambo and I-pin crawled out from under a table while Fuuta came out from behind the couch. Senpai had exploded from my closet, followed by his sister, who was smiling at me apologetically. The big box shoved to the side of the wall was apparently Miura-chan's costume, but she needed assistance from Chrome and Bianchi-san later to get her out. Appearing out of thin air, Mukuro kufufu'd into the room, promptly fleeing as Hibari sprinted across the room to engage him. _

_The Cavallone Famiglia was also there—Dino-san popped his head out of the kitchen with Romario-san behind him. The Varia were seated (kinda) around the table at the back._

_For what seemed an eternity, I was frozen, stunned, in the entryway. Tsuna approached me timidly._

'_Happy birthday, Yamamoto.'_

_Gokudera came up behind Tsuna and gruffly said, 'Congratulations on living another year.'_

_My grin must have been blinding as I hugged my two friends._

* * *

_After we split the double-decker, triple-chocolate-sundae cake with cookie dough, everyone started playing games or sat around chatting. I grabbed Gokudera and Tsuna's arms and dragged them down into chairs next to me. _

_I asked if they had been avoiding me because of this party (which I enjoyed very much, thank you!)._

'_Ah,' Tsuna said. 'We didn't really mean to avoid you at all. In fact, Reborn advised us to act normal. But,' and here the Vongola Tenth sighed, 'the Varia had come early in the morning, so I left with Gokudera to fix the situation before school started.'_

_I laughed out loud. The man Sasagawa-chan and Miura-chan had told me about must have been Squalo!_

_Gokudera nudged himself into the conversation. 'And during the lunch break, the order for the cake got messed up, so Juudaime and I had to go out and get another cake for you.'_

_Now I was surprised. Gokudera did that for me?_

_My old man finally stepped out of the kitchen, done cleaning and organizing the many dishes that had been used tonight. He walked over to where I was resting and stopped in front of me._

'_Happy birthday, Takeshi.'_

'_Yeah. Thanks, Dad.'_

* * *

_The shrine was quiet that day._

_I bowed my head and delicately placed the handful of roses I'd bought along the way upon the stone._

'_I'm still doing well in baseball. Looks like I'll be captain or something next year! My friends are really rooting for me, so I think I can make it.'_

_I traced the engraved name with a finger._

'_My two best friends are acting a little weird today, but I'm sure I can ask them about it when I go to Tsuna's house later.'_

_I admitted that I had joined a risky group of people, but was quick to explain that they were all good people. And like a close-knit family—one in which a group member would never betray another._

'_Don't worry about me. I just hope you're doing well, too.'_

* * *

'_Happy birthday, Mom.'_


End file.
